Lyon County authorities have arrested a Salem man for theft after a woman's purse was taken at McDonald's in Eddyville.
Lyon Deputy Josh Travis was dispatched to a theft complaint Aug. 6 at the restaurant. The investigation revealed a senior couple from Illinois had stopped at the restaurant just after 12:30pm where they ate lunch in the dining room of the restaurant. The female victim accidentally left her purse draped over a chair before leaving the business.
After the couple left, a tall, white male and his young daughter came into the restaurant, the sheriff's department said. "They occupied a dark colored Lincoln SUV when they arrived. The male noticed the unattended purse before taking it and removing it to the Playland area of the restaurant and stealing contents of the purse. He later concealed a phone from the purse in the Playland tunnel before discarding the purse in a trash can in a nearby bathroom," the sheriff's department said in a news release.
A social media post containing pictures of the theft suspect was posted with a request for citizens to help us identify this person. "Thanks to members of the public who immediately provided tips about the suspect’s identity. The social media post was removed after a positive identification was made, and efforts to locate the suspect began," the department said.
On Tuesday, Aug. 13th, Deputy Travis, Deputy David Carroll, Chief Deputy Sam Adams and Sheriff Brent White began conducting surveillance at a Kuttawa business in search of the suspect. At approximately 5:13pm, the suspect occupying the same vehicle was observed pulling up to the business. After the suspect later left the business, he was stopped on US 62 where he was taken into custody.
At the time of his arrest, the suspect, identified as Adam P. Attia, 36, of Salem, was found to be in possession of illegal narcotics and several items of stolen property. He was charged with the following:
Theft By Unlawful Taking
Possession of Controlled Substance - 1st Degree (Methamphetamine)
Possession of Controlled Substance - 2nd Degree (Suboxone)
Possession of Marijuana
Drug Paraphernalia-Possession
At the time of his arrest, Attia was on probation in Crittenden and Marshall counties for theft related felony convictions, the sheriff's department said. Attia was lodged in the Crittenden County Detention Center. The investigation is continuing.
